


(Ain't no) Love Potion

by Mysenia



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Multi, Pre-Slash, established stucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 10:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysenia/pseuds/Mysenia
Summary: Love potions really are not all the effective if said person is already in love. However, Tony realises that the love potiondoesloosen his lips a little and let Steve and Bucky in on his little secret.





	(Ain't no) Love Potion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [XCuteAsHale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/XCuteAsHale/gifts).



> cute-as-hale said:  
> Okay, *this* is the last one. Maybe. Think Stucktony and lovepotion! Tony getting hit by a lovepotion and falling for the established Stucky? (I love you)
> 
> NOTE: Tony may seem a bit OOC in parts of this fic but _love potion_
> 
> Huge thanks to [Dena](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DenaCeleste/pseuds/DenaCeleste) for beta'ing this fic for me. (Any and all mistakes found within are my fault)

It would be easy to blame Tony’s current feelings on the conveniently-inconvenient love potion that he had somehow managed to imbibe, but that would be a big fat lie. No, all the love potion managed to do was amplify the feelings that were already well in place - feelings which Tony strove each and every day to hide away from everyone else.

Not because the feelings were an inconvenience to Tony, no, but because he did not want to burden the objects of his affection when they had just found themselves again. It was nice, actually, to have fallen for two people who actually were deserving of love.

Tony had previously had a habit of falling for people who just were not any good for him, with the notable exception of his best friend, Pepper. She had not been, and never could be, considered a mistake when it came to loving, but they were just not meant to be. Besides, he was more than happy to take a step back and allow the romance to blossom between her and Happy anyway. Two of his favourite people getting together and starting a family? Those were the things that Tony’s dreams were made of.

Of course, he had to go and fall for another couple that consisted of more of his favourite people. And he was happy for them, desperately, but the feelings had crept up on him and sunk their hooks in quite deep. They were the kind of people that Tony thought everyone had a bit of a crush on, just because their characters were that deserving of affection. Basically, they were good people, and Tony didn’t not blame himself one iota for falling for the duo; it was inevitable and he wouldn’t beat himself up for it.

Of course, then he had to go and down that love potion - that damn love potion grabbed his feelings for Steve and Bucky, dragged them to the surface, and nearly had him throwing himself at the men. It left Tony jittery and anxious, unable to be in the same room as two of his best friends because suddenly every other word that wanted to leave his lips was a confession of love.

_Love_. It was not as foreign a concept to him as most people would think. Tony loved. He had loved his mother, and desperately loved his father. Tony loved Rhodey, he also loved Pepper and Happy. The Avengers held a place in his heart as well, the familial kind of love that had been missing from his childhood, which he soaked up like a parched man to water. 

However it was not the familial kind of love that Tony felt for Steve Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes. It had not even started out that way, only animosity to be found between them until a grudging understanding came to the fore. 

As love stories go, Tony’s seemed to follow the epics. It started with disdain and flowed smoothly into anger before a rocky understanding came to be. From there, he found his footing on a mutual respect before the inklings of something _more_ blossomed. Of course, betrayal hit hard and fast, hurting all the more for that something _more_ that had settled heavily in his chest. It had been a grueling process to go from that betrayal back to the rocky grounds of trust. 

Yet, as time went on, that trust once again blossomed into understanding and forgiveness. Right around the corner of forgiveness, those tender feelings of something _more_ that had been buried as deep as the shrapnel living in Tony’s bloodstream returned. Which ended with Tony one day waking to realize that he was gone on two soldiers who had found their happily ever after in each other, and he was the moon that orbited them.

And, honestly, Tony was completely fine with orbiting Steve and Bucky. He did not need to be let in, did not need more than the close friendship that he already had with the pair. He had inside jokes, and knew intimate details that the two had never revealed to anyone else. He had a dependency from them that suited him just fine, and he was not going to ask for more. That would be selfish, and Tony had done away with selfish right around the time that he had let Pepper go. 

Tony was fine with it all, but then the love potion entered the equation and fucked everything up. Looking back, Tony wished that he had just listened to Steve’s urging and Bucky’s silent judgement.

Too fucking late.

* * *

“Tony, are you sure you should be having another drink?” Steve asked, big eyes round with concern. Bucky seemed equally as concerned but, as usual, let Steve take the lead.

Tony grinned at the two super soldiers seated across from him. “We’re celebrating!”

Bucky caught one of Tony’s flailing arms in a strong grip. “I think you’ve had enough, Tony.”

And, yeah, maybe they had a point. Tony was flailing, for Christ’s sake which is something he never did; flailing could cause accidents in the lab. Grand gestures was one thing as those were planned for dramatic purpose whereas flailing was a sign of a distraction that Tony did not allow himself. 

“You would say that, you big party pooper.” Tony sighed as he let his head fall back against the back of the booth they were seated in, not even bothering to try to free his arm from Bucky’s strong grip. “I bet you used to be the life of the party, and now look at you!”

Bucky squeezed his wrist before gently laying it on the table top. “Nothing wrong with being a party pooper.” His eyes crinkled as he aimed a fond smile at Tony. Or, Tony hoped it was a fond smile. 

The server chose that moment to pop over before either of the super soldiers could say anything more about Tony and his drinking, placing a lovely green martini down in front of Tony. 

“Tony, you didn’t order that.” Steve frowned as he turned to catch the attention of the server who was currently walking quickly away.

Tony watched as Bucky reached for the drink in question while Steve’s attention was focused on the server. He pouted, resigned to the two men doing whatever it was they decided they needed to do about Tony’s not-drink drink. Fun suckers, the two of them.

Just as Bucky’s fingers were about to grasp the stem of the martini glass, Tony made up his mind. His fun for the night was not done just yet. He snatched up the drink and downed it just as Bucky’s super soldier reflexes reacted and wrapped his hand around Tony’s where it clutched the glass and pulled. Bucky eyed him angrily as Steve’s head whipped around to see the commotion. 

“ _What the fuck_ was that, Tony?” Bucky growled out as he pulled the martini glass out of Tony’s suddenly nerveless fingers and brought it to his mouth. Bucky sniffed at the rim and licked lightly before gently placing the glass down and glowering at Tony. 

“That’s been laced with something,” he said to Steve, still not taking his eyes off of Tony.

Steve was up and crossing the dining area of the restaurant in the next second, heading straight for the server as Tony and Bucky watched from the booth. Tony felt fine, the sudden dread in his chest because of the potential consequences and definitely not the disappointment that coloured Bucky’s face. 

Perhaps seeing Tony’s suddenly pale face, Bucky moved to his side of the booth and crowded him back against the wall. “Tony, I need you to answer me honestly.”

Tony nodded, helpless to do anything but follow Bucky’s orders.

“Good,” he said as he brought his hands up to gently cradle Tony’s head. “I need you to tell me exactly what you’re feeling.”

Tony grinned up at Bucky, trying to nuzzle into the hands on his face. “Warm.”

“That’s because you’ve downed more drinks than is advisable,” Bucky informed him as he looked into Tony’s eyes. “Do you feel sick?”

“No.”

“Does anything feel wrong?”

Tony smiled, blinking heavy lidded eyes up at the super soldier. “I feel pretty damn good, Buck. If Stevie were here then everything would feel perfect.”

Bucky did not move his hands, but he did pull his head back a little and searched Tony’s face for a sign. Tony did not know what that sign was but Bucky looked for it, concern etched into every line of his face. Tony brought his own hands up and thumbed at the lines on Bucky’s forehead.

“Party poopers are the only ones who frown at parties,” Tony informed Bucky.

They were interrupted by Steve returning to the table, shoving himself in beside Bucky which effectively caged Tony in. Steve leaned over Bucky’s shoulder, eyes devouring Tony. 

“Is he okay?”

Tony sputtered. “He is right here!” 

“Everything appears to be normal, he _says_ he is fine but we’ll have to keep an eye on him,” Bucky answered Steve as if Tony had not spoken up.

Almost simultaneously both super soldiers turned their heads to look at each other. Tony watched them, delighted at having such a front row seat to the two of them doing their thing. They silently communicated a lot, and it gave Tony all these fantasies of the two of them silently communicating about what to do with him in the bedroom, Tony naked and spread before them, waiting and wanting. 

“-ny.”

Tony blinked and dragged himself back to the present. He smiled goofily at Bucky and Steve, so happy that they cared so deeply for him.

“Tony, we’re going to take you to Bruce and have him run some tests,” Steve explained, his voice patient but his eyes screaming concern. 

“I’m _fine_.”

Both super soldiers merely looked at him until Tony finally caved and admitted that maybe he was not feeling the greatest. He did not feel bad, per se, just warm all over and sleepy. And he really, really wanted to take Steve and Bucky to bed and cuddle with them, and tell them how much he loved them and never wanted them to leave him. Nothing inherently bad or really new in those feelings. Well, maybe the warm thing. He really was feeling too hot.

“Only if Bucky carries me.”

Tony would be gaping if he could muster up the energy to move his face. As it was, Bucky and Steve’s faces perfectly said how _off_ that request was. Tony sighed and admitted defeat.

“Yeah, okay.”

It was a quick trip back to the Tower where they found Bruce in his lab. Bucky did, in fact, carry Tony from the restaurant to the car, and then again from the car and up the elevator all the way to Bruce’s lab, only putting Tony down as directed onto a nearby bench. 

Tony reached out for one of Bucky’s hands and squeezed it. “Thank you.”

Bucky nodded, stutter-stepping to the side beside Steve as they let Bruce get to work. Tony smiled at his super soldiers and tried to reassure them that he was fine with his eyes. He wasn’t sure it worked, but he was not going to complain because he would take any excuse to stare at the two men that he loved.

That thought actually caused Tony to blink. He was definitely still drunk, but even inebriated he never allowed that thought to creep up. The only time Tony ever allowed himself to acknowledge the feelings that he had for Bucky and Steve was when he was dreaming, and even then he actively tried to go to sleep thinking about anything _but_ the two super soldiers.

Something was definitely wrong.

Of course, it took more than a few hours for Bruce’s test to come back, and even then all the doctor could say was, “After consulting with Dr. Strange, I believe we have come to the conclusion that Tony drank some kind of love potion.”

Dread would be an accurate descriptor of what Tony felt upon hearing that, because he already knew what was being affected by the potion. In fact, he was surprised that the two super soldiers had not caught onto his feelings by now because he had not once looked away from them since Bucky placed him on the bench.

Tony vaguely heard the two soldiers asking Bruce questions, but he was too busy looking at his hands and trying to block out everything else to understand them. His brain was swimming, and while he knew he did not drink that much alcohol, clearly the potion was having an affect as well. He could not think straight and really just wanted to go to bed.

He looked up when he felt hands gripping his shoulders, Steve to one side and Bucky to the other, each soldier shoring him up with a solid grasp. Tony wished he could assuage the concern and worry that had been their constant expressions since he had petulantly downed the mystery martini at the restaurant. Unfortunately, he was not feeling up to comforting himself, let alone his soldiers.

Bruce stepped up and both soldiers fell back. “Tony, we’re not sure how the potion is going to affect you, but Steve and Bucky have said they will watch over you until it’s cleared your system.”

Tony nodded along, not like he had a choice in the matter. Once the super soldiers made up their minds, there was no swaying them. Admittedly, Tony had thought of some ways he could potentially sway Steve and Bucky, of the sexual variety, but he tried not to let that show on his face. It was not the time or place to be having those thoughts, never would be, actually, and Tony tried not to let that depressing thought show either.

Without any prompting, Bucky scooped Tony up into his arms again and carried Tony to the elevator with Steve close behind. When they arrived at Steve and Bucky’s floor, Tony let out a confused noise.

“It’ll be easier to watch you on our floor, Tones,” Bucky explained as he sat down on the sofa with Tony on his lap. Steve sat down beside them, practically on top of them, and reached out to squeeze Tony’s left knee.

“You’ll be okay, Tony. We’ll make sure that nothing happens to you,” Steve assured him.

Tony laughed, could not help it. “You don’t have to convince me. I know I can always depend on you two to take care of me.”

Tony grinned as Steve and Bucky did their silent communication thing again. They were so cute when they did it. Tony wished they would do that with him as well but, honestly, was just happy to bask in their presence no matter what they were doing.

“I’m tired,” Tony confessed, smiling to himself as Bucky held him tighter and Steve squeezed his knee again. 

“I’m going to get you a glass of water that I want you to drink before going to bed, then we’ll help you get ready,” Steve said as he got up to go fetch the water, Tony nodding as he slumped against Bucky’s chest.

“Next time how about you don’t randomly throw back a drink that you didn’t order,” Bucky scolded him. “It could have been something lethal, Tones, instead of an as-yet harmless love potion.”

Tony burrowed deeper into Bucky’s chest, unwilling to admit to anything. He was not inclined to moments of stupidity, but even he could admit to himself that he’d downed the drink in a moment of petulance. Tony had wanted Bucky to laugh and scold him, for Steve to shake his head fondly. Instead he’d ended up drugged with a fucking love potion of all things and reliant on the two men that he already loved and was likely going to confess to.

He could feel the urge to blurt out his love on the tip of his tongue. Normally, he never thought about it, and was just content to bask in their presence, happy with their friendship. The potion, however, seemed to be fueling a need to lay himself bare before the two super soldiers and confess all. He was being clingy and reliant on the two he cared for the most, something he would never allow himself to do had he all his faculties together.

He honestly hated how childish he felt and really wished oblivion would greet him any moment.

“Here’s your water, Tony, from the tap with three ice cubes,” Steve said as he held said glass of water in front of Tony’s face. Tony grabbed it and gulped it down, taking the time to chew the ice cubes before handing the empty glass back to Steve.

Bucky suddenly standing up was not what Tony had been expecting and he quickly wrapped his arms around the soldier’s neck. Tony would be lying if he said he didn’t find the show of strength extremely arousing. Bucky carried him to the bathroom and set Tony on his feet in front of the shower.

“I want you to shower. Do you think you can handle that or will you need help?”

Tony scoffed. “I’m not an invalid, I _can_ wash myself.”

Bucky smirked as he grabbed a towel for Tony from underneath the sink. “You just call if you need anything.” 

Tony managed the shower just fine, thank you very much, but felt drained to the bone when he stepped out of the stall. The hot water had felt wonderful flowing over his body but it seemed to have zapped whatever strength he had left. He noticed some folded up clothes on the counter and fumbled with the sweat pants until he managed to step into them and pull them up and over his hips. 

Super soldier hearing being what it was, both men probably only waited until they heard the telltale sound of pants being pulled up before letting themselves into the bathroom, not that Tony minded. He allowed Steve to pull the white t-shirt over his head, head coming to rest on Steve’s chest once the shirt was pull all the way down. 

Bucky was busy drying his hair with the towel, fingers rubbing at what felt like every sensitive spot on Tony’s head. He groaned and relaxed, allowing Steve to take the brunt of his weight.

“Let’s get you to bed,” Steve murmured into his ear as he wrapped strong arms around Tony and lifted him up. Tony did not even bother moving, knowing that Steve could more than handle his weight. 

Tony had figured that they would bring him to the couch, which was a futon, to sleep on. He was completely startled when Steve laid him gently on the bed and tucked him in. 

“Where are you guys going to sleep?” He asked even as he snuggled into the bed.

Bucky huffed out what sounded like a growl while Steve smiled patiently down at him. “We’ll be sleeping with you. We need to keep an eye on you,” Steve informed him matter-of-factly.

Tony found himself looking between the two because that seemed odd. JARVIS could look after him just fine. 

“Tones, just go to sleep, you little punk.”

Tony only nodded because his head felt muddled and there was still the urge to please the soldiers pushing at him. They cared for him, after all, and wanted to make sure nothing happened. It made Tony love them all the more because they took the time to check on him, went the extra mile and brought him to their room to care for. 

Steve and Bucky stood over him even as his eyes drooped, which comforted Tony more than he would ever admit aloud. It was nice not having to go to bed alone even if they were not, themselves, going to bed. Tony was sure he would have even slept through the night if they had not jostled him awake as they got into bed sometime later.

“Shh, sorry, Tony. It’s okay, go back to sleep,” Steve whispered to him as Tony rolled over to look at him.

He was still groggy and not even fully awake, existing somewhere in between waking and sleeping. A warm body pressed up against his back, strong arms pulling him back into Bucky’s chest. Tony’s head lolled to look back at Bucky, blinking to try to bring him into focus.

“We’re here, Tones. Won’t let anything happen to you; it’s okay to go back to sleep,” Bucky said softly, his arms a comforting warmth around Tony.

Tony’s eyes slid closed, a smile tugging at his lips. “You two are too good to me. ‘S why I love you both,” he mumbled as he fell back asleep.

The indrawn breaths and sudden rigidness of the body behind him registered as an afterthought to the dreams that pulled him under.

* * *

Of course Tony hightailed it out of the super soldiers’ bedroom the moment he woke up in the morning, the memory of his unfiltered words following hot on his heels. He was mortified and could only hope that the two soldiers chalked up his confession to the love potion. 

He had not wanted to chance an encounter with them, however, and chose to hide away in his workshop. It's not like he did not have work to do, and Pepper would be absolutely thrilled for him to get the schematics for the new tech finished. 

So really, he wasn't hiding away, he was working. Completely legitimate reason to close himself off in his workshop all day. 

Of course, in his haste to get away Tony completely forgot that _both_ super soldiers had override codes to his workshop. The codes were supposed to be used only in emergency situations but, alas, they never followed that rule, and Tony had never enforced it. 

Which meant that less than an hour after Tony escaped from their bedroom, said super soldiers were entering his workshop with nary a ‘ _By your leave_ ’. Thankfully, Tony had not been wielding anything sharp or sparking as Bucky grabbed at his stool and rolled Tony away from his desk. 

“Do you mind?” 

“Yes, Stark, I fucking mind. What the fuck was that back there?” Bucky asked with a glare. Steve stood off to the side behind him, arms crossed and face betraying nothing. 

Tony tried not to flinch at the use of his last name, but must have failed if the softening of Bucky’s countenance was anything to go by. Steve sighed and pushed Bucky to the side with a look. 

“What Bucky is trying to ask, and doing a bang up job of it, is: did you mean what you said last night?” 

Tony sighed. So many things could change depending on his answer, and he had absolutely no idea if they would be positive or negative changes. 

“Why don't you think it was the love potion?” Tony countered, and knew right away he gave himself away by the smiles that bloomed on Steve and Bucky’s faces. 

“Because, doll, if it had been the love potion you wouldn't have run away this morning,” Bucky said with a smirk. Tony tried not to blush at the nickname. 

“I didn't run away!” 

Steve smiled. “Sure looked that way to us.” 

“And we think that, if you love us and we love you, we should do something about it.”

Tony's head whipped up so fast he thought he might have given himself whiplash as he sought Bucky’s eyes out. “You mean that?” 

“Tony,” Steve said, his voice filled with a fondness that had Tony yearning to be in his arms. 

“Doll, Stevie and I have been gone on you for a long time now.”

“And,” Steve added as he stepped forward, Bucky matching him pace for pace, “we were happy just being your friends. But what you said last night has us hoping you would be willing to try out a relationship with us.” 

Tony never had an easy time saying no to Steve’s earnest face. He also found it increasingly difficult to say no to Bucky’s mischievous little smirk. 

“Does this mean you'll carry me around whenever I want?” Tony asked, biting down on his smirk. 

Bucky growled, the sound shooting straight to Tony’s gut. “We’ll do more than just carry you around.”

“Sounds like a promise,” Tony remarked, still on the edge but tipping fast. 

“That's because it is,” Steve answered him. 

Tony decided he liked the sound of that, _a promise_ , and nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

“And absolutely no more drinking any mysterious drinks,” Bucky declared, causing all three of them to laugh.

They still had a lot to talk about, and still had to figure out where the damn love potion had come from in the first place, but right then Tony was quite content. So he allowed himself to bask in the happiness he felt because, with their lives, who knew how long it would last.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.
> 
> ~ M


End file.
